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As part of the Next Steps on Regulatory Reform, the Better Regulation Executive and the National Consumer Council have published a joint interim report, ‘Warning: too much information can harm’, looking at how to maximise the positive impact of regulated information for consumers and markets.
Government provides information to consumers to protect them from harm, to encourage socially responsible behaviour and to ensure markets work well. Examples include product safety warnings, recycling symbols and information on consumer credit agreements. Much of this information is not provided directly. It is provided by third parties such as businesses.
Research by the National Consumer Council and the Better Regulation Executive aimed to establish how far regulated information is achieving its objectives and how it might be made more efficient and effective in future. Focus groups with consumers and more than 60 stakeholder interviews were undertaken for the research.
The research resulted in two reports.
The joint interim report by the Better Regulation Executive and the National Consumer Council:
And the Vanilla Research report:
The research finds information is often not achieving its objectives. Consumers can reject it because it is too voluminous, complex and unappealing. Often the content of the information doesn't enable them to make a decision.
This regulated information also imposes costs on business – estimated at more than £1.5 billion per year. The research identified ways the quality of such information could be improved.
‘Warning: too much information can harm’ presents a number of ideas as the basis for discussion. These include:
The team would welcome comments on the report. Please send comments by September 21st 2007 to either of the following: